The Awakening

Dreams are usually divided into categories; lucid dreamers where the lucky cuss gets the privilege of directing a dream to their choosing, but more commonly dreams are a hodgepodge of storyline bits that the subconsciousness has deemed relevant. In retrospect, I had no idea of how my subconsciousness was preparing me for the completely alien life that was to become my new reality. I dream I was driving, carrying on the usual goofy BS that my partner in crime Douglas usually carried on, especially when we had a buzz. I remember Doulas saying something really goofy, when I reached over from the driver's seat to give him a good natured smack in the back of the head. The act only lasted a second, but as statistics show a car will travel 81 feet in 1 second. It was 81 feet too far, especially if that 81 foot distance involved a car passing another car in the oncoming traffic. I remember swerving the car hard to the side of the road, which with the passenger side airbag and the passenger side of the car saved from the direct impact of the oncoming car, Douglas ended up with minor cuts from the broken windshield as well soreness from being bounced around during the uncontrolled careening of my car as it spun to a stop on the side of the road. Thankfully the oncoming driver was in one of those mini tanks called SUV's, so their injuries were minimum as well. Mine on the other hand, were a completely different story. I dreamed I was pinned under my steering wheel with obvious injuries, then remembering the EMS crew transporting me to a helicopter for a life flight to the local medical center. This brings me to the weird part of the dream. I remember floating above my body watching the surgeons and nurses working feverishly on my mangled body, looking at the vital sign machine thinking, crap this doesn't look good. Then I looked down to see a doctor in what looked to be a hospital room doing CPR on a young girl that couldn't have been no more than 4 or 5 years old, while a young man of his late twenties embracing a beautiful blonde woman that maybe was in her mid twenties that was sobbing uncontrollably, while a young boy and girl mournfully stood pacifully by and watched the activities unfold.

I remember riding in the back of a pickup truck of one of my childhood friend's father and mother's when they would carrying us kids to the lake. Growing up in the south, people could get by with stuff like that. It was so fun to raise your head above the height of the truck cabin to enjoy the wind and motion of the truck as it made its way down the highway. What I felt at this part of the dream was much like that feeling, minus the wind, there was just a strange rushing feeling of traveling to somewhere. Then there was a brief blackness followed by blurred shapes of people over me, and a woman crying. Within a handful of seconds the blur began to have at least some resolution. I could make out that I was in a room, looking up to see the definite outlines of 3 tall people and 2 shorter people off behind them. There was the distinctive sound of beeping, that you don't typically hear unless you're in a hospital setting. Within a short period of time, the blurred human figures continued to refine into sharpness to where I could make out distinct physical and facial features. Although my mouth and throat was so dry and parched, that making even the slightest utterance was impossible. I was able to process the activities around me, and what they were saying. The closest figure was unquestionable a very attractive brunette doctor in her white lab coat that looked to be in her early 40's. I could track her movements as she turned to the young 20ish couple that were embracing each other in a tight embrace. I was very confused in what the doctor was telling the couple. "We got her back. I've ordered a K pad that will keep her body temperature down, while the antibiotics that I ordered begin attacking the infection. I think your little Jenni will get to see her 5th birthday in a couple of months after all. Mom or dad, why don't you take Jenni's older brother and sister into the waiting room so you can get them something to eat or drink while they relax a little. Kids, just to let you know, you're little sister is going to be ok.

What the f***, what's the deal with them calling me Jenni and saying I'm 4 years old!? What happened to Douglas!? Where's my girlfriend Cynthia!? The last thing I remember is..., oh wait..., I was goofing around with Douglas, driving down Hwy. 22 when that SUV. The heck with this, the doctor walked out with the dude and the couple of kids, but there's still the hot looking mom that seems to be getting her crap together. I have to..., I have to..., I have to try and ask her what the freak is going on. I try to reach up to take her arm to get her attention even though my arm feels like it weighs a ton. I didn't manage to raise it far, but I raised it far enough that it looked like some serious crap happened to it. I mean in knowing that I was no doubt in a serious wreck which would most likely caused me to be banged up pretty good. My arm didn't look to be banged up, but it sure didn't look anything like normal. My bud Carl with his big assed feet, has feet that looks longer than what my arm does it this moment. Come on Ricky, put your mind to it dude, I know you can at least get a word or two out. "What hap...?" Oh man...! That did not sound even close to being right! What the heck have they been giving me, helium!!?? The answer that I got from this hot little momma was ,not , the answer that I was wanting to hear!

"Shh baby girl, mommy is right here. Mommy, daddy, your brother, and sister got you to the hospital on time, you're going to be fine..."

As I lay there shocked and confused as to what the heck happened and going on, the doctor that'd escorted the 20ish guy and the kids out of the room, returned. "Mrs. Cullins, we're going to monitor Jenni for the rest of the day. If she stays stable, and continues to improve, we'll transfer her to a pediatric unit either this evening or first thing tomorrow morning. I was just told by one of my nurses that we had one of our little girls were discharged, so Jenni will be able to be placed in the room with the little 8 year old girl still in the room." With a patronizing smile and voice the doctor focused her attention towards me. "Young lady, as long as you don't give your mommy and daddy anymore trouble or scares, we should get you into a nicer room. You'll like our pediatric unit, the walls have much prettier colors, and even unicorns and teddy bears painted on them. Mom, just press the call light button if you or Jenni need anything."

"Thank you doctor."

I couldn't say anything, but I'm apparently going to need some serious counseling or some good ****, for me having a delusion like this! It has to be a delusion, there's no way can I ever be a little girl, I'm a 34 year old dude named Ricky Barns for craps sake! Right...?